Do A Class Motorhomes Have Noisy Cabs? (1 Viewer)

[Sidders]

Evening Fellow Funsters,
Following on from my previous post re possibly swapping out our C class Laika for an A class (we fancy a bigger screen as our jolly’s are mainly into the highlands of Scotland where the view enroute is a massive part of the journey), I went a meander today to a dealer that had a few in stock.
I’m pretty fussy and most of the coachbuilts that I couldn’t help having a nosey at really made me appreciate what we’ve already got.
Onto the A Class’s, there was the below Itineo (which was the reason i was there as liked it on paper).

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However a quick look round it and it was discounted, wasn’t impressed with the build quality….the trim around the screen was delaminating badly, old damp stains inside, shower with no external wooden door, and the screen didn’t seem much larger than my C class.

What did catch me out was the below Pilote, I’ll confess I’ve never been much of a fan of that era of them as they look a bit well…old. But looking around it, it really impressed me (also had the Fiat 3L engine). Took it a drive and loved the view out the screen, found it easy to place on the road but…..I was surprised at the level of noise and creakiness in the cab area - is this normal? Is it the bed?
I did mention this to the sellers and we checked the bed area but it was all nice and tight - they did mention ‘they all do that’

My question is - do they?

Our Laika makes no noise in the cab other than some engine noise.

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[f6c]

No

 

[Rogerwyn]

Neither does our A class

No

 

[Brains]

My reasons for not buying an A class are simple.
From the front it does not look like a Fiat Ducatto/Mercedes Sprinter/Ford Transit or whatever.

Which means as soon as you take it into a garage to get something really simple done, the bloke on the other side, sucks in his teeth as says "not seen one of these before" and immediately doubles the price and the labour cost before he has even looked at the issue.

Which may be partially justified when he finds out he has to remove the entire front end and the front wheels to change the bulb in the indicator, to then find out it can only be supplied if you pay in gold coins to little old man in Croatia who forges each bulb to order in the high mountains during a full moon.

 

[brynric]

I find the cab of our Pilots G600 quite creaky but not a problem. Remember that driving an empty van is quite different from one with bedding etc muffling sounds. I would imagine everyone has packing techniques to stop pots, pans and other bits rattling.

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

Nope, I did put an engine blanket on mine that made it a bit quieter but it wasn’t overly noisy before.

 

[MichaelT]

My reasons for not buying an A class are simple.
From the front it does not look like a Fiat Ducatto/Mercedes Sprinter/Ford Transit or whatever.

Which means as soon as you take it into a garage to get something really simple done, the bloke on the other side, sucks in his teeth as says "not seen one of these before" and immediately doubles the price and the labour cost before he has even looked at the issue.

Which may be partially justified when he finds out he has to remove the entire front end and the front wheels to change the bulb in the indicator, to then find out it can only be supplied if you pay in gold coins to little old man in Croatia who forges each bulb to order in the high mountains during a full moon.

That's bolocks never had an issue with our local Fiat professional garage.

 

[MichaelT]

Our old defleths A class was great except the drumming from the front, our ne carthago is like a car.

 

[varaizian]

Our G600 has different creaks every time we set off but they are all familiar and vaguely reassuring. I think you can distinguish between them and the discordant ones that alert you to the fact that something is wrong. I don't find it unusually noisy unless the engine is under heavy load.

 

[varaizian]

Nope, I did put an engine blanket on mine that made it a bit quieter but it wasn’t overly noisy before.

What, pray, is an "engine blanket" ?

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[Lenny HB]

An Itineo is probably not the best A Class for a first look it's very much a cheap budget van.

Generally A Class cabs are better insulated so quieter and warmer.

I don't understand Brains comnnents probably because he has never owned an A Class. Generally service and mechanicaal work is the same cost as a standard cab, we have never been charged extra.

 

[funflair]

What, pray, is an "engine blanket" ?

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One of these,

 

[Jim]

Which means as soon as you take it into a garage to get something really simple done, the bloke on the other side, sucks in his teeth as says "not seen one of these before" and immediately doubles the price and the labour cost before he has even looked at the issue.

I've never found that to be the case. Years ago my first van was a Talbot, I recall when the bonnet was lifted there was loads of room to work on the engine, (not that I ever did any) yet I remember the early A Class vans; working on some of them was like keyhole surgery with the small engine bay opening. These days, the engine opening on a panel van is tiny and the hole is crammed. Some A classes today appear to give better engine access than the original van would have.

 

[varaizian]

That's bolocks never had an issue with our local Fiat professional garage.

I'm not sure you need to be so certain. A sample of one is pretty meagre.

 

[Guigsy]

My Geist A Class was pretty noisy. From what I've seen, it shares a fair amount of components with Pilote a classes. A lot of the noise comes from the overhead bed. Mine is also full Fiat chassis, not Alko, and doesn't have a full double floor.

It was terrible when I got it. But putting some sound deadening in the dash, non camper tyres and full air has made it far more tolerable. It's ok now, but hit a larger road imperfection and it booms. The M6 viaducts through Birmingham are not fun.

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[varaizian]

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Vehicle acoustic soundproofing engine blankets. All our kits and material can dramatically reduce noise, vibrations and also airborne noise created by the engine and from the vehicle.

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One of these,

Oh OK, guess I could have looked that up myself! I can see how that might work in a standard cab vehicle but not in an A Class. Thanks very much.

 

[WESTY66]

Nope, I did put an engine blanket on mine that made it a bit quieter but it wasn’t overly noisy before.

I had visions of an old woollen blanket over an engine cover like an old J2

 

[MichaelT]

I'm not sure you need to be so certain. A sample of one is pretty meagre.

well om the only one so a pretty good sample

 

[WESTY66]

No, not really, all I can hear is a growl from the mighty 3.0L Iveco engine and a constant whine from the passenger seat

 

[funflair]

Oh OK, guess I could have looked that up myself! I can see how that might work in a standard cab vehicle but not in an A Class. Thanks very much.

It goes over the top of the engine and takes out a few db so really no difference in an A class or coach built, we also have one as the cab is that quiet about the only thing you can hear is tyres and some engine noise.

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[varaizian]

My Geist A Class was pretty noisy. From what I've seen, it shares a fair amount of components with Pilote a classes. A lot of the noise comes from the overhead bed. Mine is also full Fiat chassis, not Alko, and doesn't have a full double floor.

It was terrible when I got it. But putting some sound deadening in the dash, non camper tyres and full air has made it far more tolerable. It's ok now, but hit a larger road imperfection and it booms. The M6 viaducts through Birmingham are not fun.

Our Pilote does have a double floor but is full Fiat chassis. We are still on camper tyres but at reduced pressure at the front. Some Spanish roads are a torment but it is mostly OK and better than the previous 2 vehicles. The telling thing is that our noise-sensitive Vizsla is happier in this one than we expected. She is a good benchmark to work by.

 

[varaizian]

well om the only one so a pretty good sample

No, your local Fiat Professional garage is the only one so, statistically, meagre fare.

 

[dash300]

I've never found that to be the case. Years ago my first van was a Talbot, I recall when the bonnet was lifted there was loads of room to work on the engine, (not that I ever did any) yet I remember the early A Class vans; working on some of them was like keyhole surgery with the small engine bay opening. These days, the engine opening on a panel van is tiny and the hole is crammed. Some A classes today appear to give better engine access than the original van would have.

If only there was the equivalent of a Triumph Herald motorhome!

 

[varaizian]

If only there was the equivalent of a Triumph Herald motorhome!

I had 2 Heralds; a 12:50 and then a 13:60. If only their engine access was matched by their corrosion resistance everything would have been wonderful!

 

[Barchetta47]

No, your local Fiat Professional garage is the only one so, statistically, meagre fare.

Make that two we have never been charged a premium because we have an A Class. Urban myth??

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[dash300]

I had 2 Heralds; a 12:50 and then a 13:60. If only their engine access was matched by their corrosion resistance everything would have been wonderful!

And two rear leaf springs not one!

 

[CazPaul]

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Vehicle acoustic soundproofing engine blankets. All our kits and material can dramatically reduce noise, vibrations and also airborne noise created by the engine and from the vehicle.

www.nkgroup.co.uk

One of these,

Is there any chance of reduced airflow and overheating the engine Martin?

 

[Northernraider]

My frankia had a squeaky drop down bed and being electric there wasn't much I could do about it. My hymer was really squeaky but you could at least tighten the belt on that and try and muffle it with bedding. The euramobil integra wasnt noisy and Surprisingly the bed in the mobilvetta isn't noisy but the engine and gearbox are as its an older 1998 model.



As a side note I wouldn't take an itineo for free

 

[Carpmart]

Our van is that noisy we’ve developed a unique motorhoming sign language to communicate!

 

[TUCANO]

Pilote G600 and the bed does rattle a little but we are used to it now, I did tighten the lowering mechanism bolts but then found it difficult to pull the bed down.
Most annoying rattle comes from the plastic covers of the screen blind, I can't really remember how much noise my first van made as my last three have all been 'A' class, being a little deaf has its advantages at times though, more noise than sitting at home but the scenery is much better.